Field
The proposed invention relates to joint devices for fastening a connective joint and can be used for rapid connecting (disconnecting) pipes or cylindrical cases with round flange elements providing a hermetic sealing of their joints.
Related Art
There is a known collar (clamp) for connecting pipes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,078, “Pipe joint clamp”, Denso Corporation, Kariya (JP), IPC F16L 23/00, -23/06, published on 23 Mar. 2006. It consists at least of two parts having a ring internal groove and enveloping closed flanges of connected pipes, wherein collar components are connected between themselves by means of a flexible elastic crosspieces extended out of pipe dimensions (in some cases, they have the form of loops), and the extreme ends of components of a collar have a retaining section and a latch engaged with it. The collar is elastic at the expense of elastic crosspieces, which allows connection of pipes having various is external diameters of flanges.
A disadvantage of this collar for connecting pipes is the impossibility of providing uniform specific pressure on connected surfaces of flange joints at mounting, which can result in arising deformation in a collar cross-section that can, in turn, lead to clearance formation in the latch of the collar and to violation of tightness of the total connection.
There is known also a multiple ring clamp for a cathode ray tube as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,379,293, “Multiple split ring cathode ray tube clamp”, Richco Inc., Morton Grove, Ill. (US), IPC F16L 3/22, published on 20 Sep. 2007. This clamp represents a ring enveloping a “neck” of a tube with joined component rigidly fixed on it (for example, an assembly of printed circuit), wherein clamp ends have engagement sections in the form of inclined teeth.
Such connection is not intended for joining cylindrical parts with flanges on the ends.
There is known a clamp for cables (tubular internal mechanism for windows in a vehicle) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,097, “Tubular window drive mechanism particularly for motor vehicles also”, Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH (DE), IPC F16C 1/00, -1/26, published on 5 Jun. 1984. The driving mechanism uses a clamp with a latch for connecting wires comprised in a tubular cable having flange projections. The clamp consists of two half rings having an internal ring groove and enveloping closed flanges of connected tubular cables, wherein collar components have projections on the ends, which projections are connected between themselves by an elastic crosspiece on one side, and they have mating latch elements on other side: a clamp in the form of a pin with a plastic cone-shaped tip and a retaining part in the form of a through opening in the projection. Connecting the ends of a clamp occurs closing their projections: the clamp tip on one of projections enters an opening in other projection due to its cone shape and elasticity, and having passed it through, the tip is fixed in that position at the expense of elasticity of a material, since diameter of the tip at its base (at the pin) is a little bit greater than diameter of the through opening of the retaining part, i.e., the clamp is latched. Besides, the clamp is provided with a drainage hole in one of its half.
A disadvantage of the described construction is that, at the expense of additional fastening clamp elements, joint overall dimensions are increased. There is known also a hinged device for connecting pipes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,418, “Hinged pipe coupling”, URDAN IND USA, Inc., IPC F16L 17/00, -17/04, published on 10 Apr. 1990.
The hinged device for connection of pipes is accomplished in the form of several (at least two) segments pivotally connected together by means of hooks and loops. All segments of the device have a circular recess, by means of which they are mounted on closed flanges of connected pipes. At the same time, the ends of extreme segments are pulled together by means of fastening elements such as a bolt and a nut. This construction allows operatively forming a joint device for any diameter of pipes at the expense of a set of necessary amount of segments.
A disadvantage of the above-described hinged device is inconvenience of its usage in the conditions of restricted space, since its connecting and fastening elements are arranged on extended parts on the ends of component segments of the device. Another disadvantage of the device is difficult determination of whether the connective joint is closed together sufficiently for providing tightness.
There is known also the invention “Connecting device consisting of two halves” described in Russian Federation patent No. 2295666, registered by name of ABA OF SWEDEN AB [SE], the start date of lifetime of the patent 22 Jan. 2003, published on 20 Mar. 2007, IPC F16L 21/00, F16L 23/04.
This connecting device is intended for fastening the connecting joint and includes two halves connected hingedly with each other. The connecting device is arranged so that, in an operating position, it is engaged with parts of two connection elements which are adjacent to a connecting joint. At the same time, one end of the connecting device has a fixing element arranged in the form of at least one projection, and other end has a retaining part in the form of at least one recess. Projections and recesses are capable of engaging with each other for transferring connecting halves in an engagement. The described construction provides reliability of connection at the expense of an arrangement of the fixing element and the retaining part. However, the fixing element (projections) and the retaining part (recesses) of the connecting device are arranged on projections that are normal to the plane of flanges, which arrangement increases joint point dimensions.
The closest to the proposed invention and received as a prototype is a “Device for connecting round flange elements”, as described in materials of the Russian Federation certificate for utility model No. 31428, registered by name of “Penztiajpromaramatura”, Ltd., with the date of priority of 30 Jan. 2003, IPC F16L 23/04, published on 10 Aug. 2003.
This device comprises a constricting collar accomplished at least from two half rings with a shaped recess on concave surfaces matching an enveloped profile of closed flange elements, and fixture for collar contraction (studs, screw nuts). At the same time, the curvature radius of the shaped recess internal surface in each part of the collar in the unclenched position is greater than external surfaces radius of edges of flanges connected between themselves.
The latter connecting device is difficult in manufacture, since connection elements have a complicated configuration of details. Elements of fixture in the form of studs with screw nuts and washers increase joint point dimensions. At the same time, process of connecting (disconnecting) flange elements by means of the fastening elements does not allow realization of the process quickly enough.
Connections with collars are convenient in usage, generally due to fast connecting. However, their applicability is limited by connections that include different fixation elements: bolts, screws, studs, handles, latches, which considerably increase connection dimensions.